Starring as both a defensive back and wide receiver at Dominguez High School in Compton, Calif., Sherman reminded Donerson of another quick-to-speak-his-mind NFL luminary.

"He was just like Terrell Owens; he wanted the ball," Donerson told USA Today High School Sports this week. "A lot. He was never shy about asking for the ball."

"It's fourth-and-one and he asks for the pass," Donerson continued. "I told him to wait until we get the first down and he'd be like, 'Oh coach, it's like that! You don't believe in me?' Then I throw it to him and it ends up being an incomplete pass. So when he comes to the sideline I'm like, 'Richard, what's going on?' He looked at me and said, 'Don't worry, I'm about to get it back for you right now.' And he ends up picking the ball off."

Said the coach: "That's a perfect example of who he was for us and who he is now."

Fast forward to present day. Sherman and the rest of Seattle's nasty secondary have earned reputations as film junkies, scanning tape deep into the night to pinpoint the weakness in their next opponent. When Donerson joined "NFL AM" on Wednesday, he was asked if Sherman was the smartest player he ever coached.

"Yes ... by far," said Donerson, who offered just one piece of advice for Sherman's Super Bowl showdown with Peyton Manning: